Research Groups and Programs

Eighty percent of the Earth’s inhabitants are not considered by designers of infrastructure,
goods, and services. What will you do? The programs within Michigan Tech's D80 Center
provide many educational, service, and research opportunities for students, staff,
and faculty interested in gaining valuable professional experience while making a
difference in the lives of others.

Investigators at Michigan Tech and three participating institutions, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Desert Research Institute, and University of Massachusetts
Boston, are conducting a research and education project related to the Dynamically
Coupled Human-Natural Atmosphere-Surface Exchangeable Pollutants (ASEP) System with
funding from the National Science Foundation Geosciences Division.

The Michigan Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) provides the transportation
technology (T2) to local government organizations (counties, cities, and villages)
throughout the state. The LTAP mission is to bridge the gap between research and practice
by conducting training sessions and demonstrations, and by serving as a clearinghouse
for information related to state-of-the-art technology in the construction and maintenance
of roads and bridges.

The Rail Transportation Program at Michigan Tech is an interdisciplinary program in
railroad engineering and urban rail transit that provides opportunities for our students
and faculty to participate in the development and operation of rail transportation
for the 21st century.

The Technology Development Group (TDG) engages in research and development that supports
the transportation-management needs of state and local governments. The group's primary
product, the RoadSoft-GIS Integrated Roadway Management System, provides county road
commissions, cities, and villages with a state-of-the-art system for managing roadway
assets.

Center for Rural and Tribal Community Resilience

The Center for Rural and Tribal Community Reslience undertakes research, education,
and outreach in local and tribal communities to explore and evaluate current and emerging
anthropogenic and natural threats, and develop and deploy best practices for all-hazard
preparation and mitigation. As a center based in the Michigan Tech Transportation
Institute (MTTI) and the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department (CEE), the
center focuses on built infrastructure and human organizations that support civil
society, government, economic stability, self-reliance, and self-determination. The
multi-disciplinary center also engages social and human arts and sciences, healthcare,
emergency response, enforcement, policy, government, and other disciplines.